The Darkest Hour
by Bellantara
Summary: Daniel has one joyride too many, and it has far-reaching consequences for the Voltron Force, especially Keith and Lance. . .
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is a story UsagiRyu and I are writing together. We've talked many times about the VF cadets, and how their actions never seem to have logical, long-lasting repercussions. One night we asked ourselves what would happen if there WERE repercussions, and this dark little fic was born. There will be a lot of angst, a lot of change and adjustment for several characters, and, advance warning, no magical happy ending. That said, we welcome you to The Darkest Hour.

Additional note: For our purposes, Sven wasn't infected with Haggarium, and didn't go to Crydor. He's married to Romelle, they have a baby son, and live on Pollux.

The last steps Keith Kogane ever took saved Daniel Chandler's life. Keith saw a smuggler take aim at the cadet and knew that if the shot connected, Daniel was dead. "Only one choice," he thought, and pushed Daniel to the ground. A split second later, Keith screamed as the laser connected with his lower back.

Lance's head jerked up at the scream. "KEITH!" A volley from his magma pistols took out the last of the smugglers, and he sprinted for Keith, sliding to his knees at his unmoving lover's side. "Oh my God," he breathed, trying with both hands to stop the blood flowing from Keith's back. Daniel stared, horrified, and Lance whipped around to snap at him, "Get the first aid kit from Black, NOW!" Daniel stood frozen; Lance lost his grip on his temper. "MOVE YOUR DAMNED ASS, CADET!" The boy snapped out of his shock and ran for Black; Lance returned his full attention to Keith. "Please, please, hang on," he whispered, pressing against the wound with his gloved palms in an attempt to stanch the bleeding.

Daniel came back with the first aid kit; Lance grabbed the gauze and carefully packed the wound as his teammates knelt beside him. "Damn, this is bad," he said softly. "Find something we can put him on, guys; I want to keep him as still as possible."

Hunk spied a piece of metal and grabbed it. "I can make a back board out of this," he said quietly. "It'll keep Keith still. Better call Dr. Gorma and let him know."

"I already called," Pidge pushed up his glasses. "He has a trauma team on standby."

Lance grunted and changed the blood soaked gauze. Vince and Larmina stared in shock at Keith's still form. Larmina shivered, remembering when Keith almost died after receiving the severe laser sword cut. The memory of her favorite uncle lying in a hospital bed with a tube down his throat and a bandage across his chest seared into her then five year old mind. "Not again," she murmured. She turned to Daniel. "This is your stupid fault!" She punched Daniel.

"Now, Cadets, don't go fighting between yourselves. We have to focus on saving Keith," Hunk admonished them. "Save the blame for later."

Lance swore frantically, grabbing everyone's attention. "Damn it all to hell, I can't stop the bleeding! We've gotta get him to Gorma. Hunk, help me get him on that plate." The two of them slid the plate as close to Keith as they could, then carefully worked it under him.

"Take him in Black, Lance," Hunk directed. "Princess, go with him and keep pressure on that wound. Daniel, Larmina, you two take Blue and Red back to their dens. Let's move, people!" He helped Lance carry Keith to Black, then ran for his own Lion.

Lance barely waited for him to get clear before he yanked the controls and sent Black streaking for home, heart racing and palms clammy with more than just Keith's blood. "Damn Daniel and his fucking joyrides," he growled, risking a minute to turn and look at Keith.

Allura met his gaze, tears running down her cheeks. "Lance, I don't think he's going to make it!" Keith's body hitched under her hands. "Oh Goddess, he stopped breathing!" Lance flew out of his seat, shoving Allura to the side and reaching for his Academy CPR training. He stayed there, breathing for his partner, until Allura landed Black and the trauma team took Keith to MedTech. Lance watched as the medics carried his beloved away. Allura put her hand on his shoulder. "Let's get to MedTech," she said quietly.

In MedTech, the Voltron Force stayed in a group with Larmina and Vince, waiting for news on their Captain. Lance had called Sven on Pollux as soon as they got to the castle, and the Norwegian waited silently with his friends. Daniel found himself ostracized to a shadowy corner, near a creepy painting of the first Royal Physician. Hours passed and Dr. Gorma did not appear to announce that Keith was fine and would be back on duty soon.

"What the hell is taking so damned long?" Lance demanded of a nurse. "Is he playing golf in there?"

"Commander McClain, please, he's still working on Captain Kogane. He'll give you an update when he has one," the nurse pleaded. "I'm sorry but that's all I can tell you right now."

"Dammit!" Lance punched the wall.

"Lance, don't!" Allura jumped up and grabbed her best friend. Lance looked at her, wild-eyed and unrepentant. "Sit down," she ordered.

Lance shook his head. "I can't," he whispered. "God, Allie, what if he's. . ." he couldn't finish the sentence, and Allura took him in her arms.

"Shh. . ." she whispered, swaying back and forth with him as she had done with Larmina so many times. "He'll be all right, he's strong. And he loves you too much to leave you."

After several more hours, Dr. Gorma appeared at the waiting room door, looking more dragged out than anyone had ever seen him. "The Captain is alive . . . barely," he sighed. "It remains to be seen how he will come out of this."

Lance choked. "What the hell does that mean?" he finally got out.

Gorma sighed. "The Captain has injured his spinal cord. If he lives, it is almost a certainty that he will be paralyzed. Unfortunately, we won't know if and to what extent until he wakes up and the swelling in his spinal cord subsides."

The team gasped in horror; Lance was white. "Please, can I see him?"

"Of course, Commander. You are probably the best thing for him right now."

Lance started to follow the doctor, but was stopped by Allura's slim hand on his arm. "Tell him we all love him," she said softly. Lance nodded, unsure of his voice, then joined the waiting doctor.

In the ICU bed closest to the nurses' station, Keith lay unmoving, his only sign of life the artificial respiration of the ventilator. His private nurse slipped out to give Lance a semblance of privacy, and the pilot fell into the chair at Keith's bedside, gently taking his lover's limp hand. "Come back to me," he whispered, voice breaking. "We can handle anything together; just don't leave me." Something gave way inside him; he abruptly left Keith's bedside and stormed back into the waiting room. Allura got up and came to him, but he brushed by her and got in Daniel's face. "ARE YOU FUCKING HAPPY NOW? THINK YOU'VE GOT YOUR CHANCE AT BLACK? OVER MY DEAD BODY!"

Lance lost control of his temper entirely; before anyone could do or say anything, he drew back his right fist and punched the cadet in the jaw. Daniel went sprawling." Let me tell you one thing." Lance's voice was deadly quiet, and Daniel wished he'd go back to yelling. A quiet Lance was a terrifying Lance. "If-if he dies, there won't be a safe place in this entire fucking galaxy for you. God have mercy on you, because I won't." Lance spun on his heel and ran out of MedTech.

Allura, worried, started to follow him, only to find herself held back. She looked up to find Sven shaking his head at her. "Leave him be, Princess. Lance is not safe to be around in dis state of mind. I'M afraid of him."

"Lance would never hurt me," she protested. "Please, Sven; he shouldn't be alone!"

Sven didn't budge. "He vould not hurt you if he vere himself. Right now, he is not himself, and de only person who vould be safe is in a coma. No, Princess. Let him be for now." He crossed the room and gave Daniel a hand up, expression unreadable. "You are very lucky," he told the cadet. "If Lance had not pulled dat punch, you vould be dead. Go get some ice on dat jaw and get some rest." Daniel looked around the room a minute, then dropped his head and slowly walked out.

Lance made it to his room without running into anyone, a fortunate thing given the killing rage that still consumed him. He flopped across the bed, trying desperately not to think of the last time he was in it, then grabbed a pillow and screamed his anguish and heartbreak into it. No matter what happened, his and Keith's lives as they had known them were over. All because a cocky brat of a teenager wouldn't listen to anyone that wasn't him.

The rage was threatening to overwhelm his control; Lance only knew one thing that would stop it. He got off the bed and knelt at his closet, rummaging in a box at the back. A few minutes later, he came up with a bottle of scotch, and settled back on his bed. The tears started after the first couple of swallows; when a tenth of the bottle was in him, he was openly sobbing. A few drinks more, and he passed out cold, whispering Keith's name.


	2. Chapter 2

Four days after Captain Kogane's shooting, Dr. Gorma summoned Commander Holgersson to his office. The Norwegian bore the ragged, slightly vacant look of someone long past exhaustion; hardly surprising, all things considered. Commander McClain had been inexplicably absent from MedTech since that first night, and the others visited in turns, but Commander Holgersson refused to leave the Captain's side.

Gorma sighed and focused on the reason for this meeting. "The Captain has yet to regain consciousness. We can find no physical reason for his condition, and quite frankly are at a loss for how to remedy it. The longer he stays unconscious, the worse his chances are."

"Lance," Sven said quietly, running a hand that trembled with fatigue along his unshaven jaw. "Keit knows Lance is not dere, and dat someting is bad wrong vit him. I am not sure I vould vake up eiter."

"That explains a great deal," Gorma said slowly, after several minutes. "I have noticed in the past that the Captain and the Commander both recover more quickly when the other is present. You have to get Commander McClain down here, Commander. Captain Kogane's life may depend on it."

"I vill see to it," Sven promised darkly, getting to his feet. "Tank you Doctor."

"Commander." Gorma's voice stopped him at the door. "Once you get Commander McClain here-or even if you don't-I want you to go get a hot shower, something to eat, and at least six hours sleep." Sven started to protest; Gorma cut him off with a look. "Medical orders, Commander. The Voltron Force is down at least one pilot; we cannot afford to lose you as well."

Sven glowered for a minute, then relented. "Ja, you are right, Doctor. I vill rest vhen I am done vit Lance; you haf my vord." He left the doctor's office and headed for Lance's room.

When knocking and calling Lance's name got no response, Sven punched in the master override and entered the room. The only light spilled in from the hall, and showed Lance lying on the bed, curled tightly around a pillow Sven knew had to be Keith's. Empty scotch bottles littered the bed. "Min Gud, Lance, not dis again," he whispered softly. He pried the pillow loose from Lance's grip, peeled his jacket off, then picked the smaller man up and unceremoniously dumped him in the shower, setting the temperature for just above sleet. Two minutes later, a truly impressive stream of invective erupted from the shower, and a completely sober and thoroughly pissed Lance McClain popped out.

"What the fuck, Sven? You trying to drown me?"

The navigator leaned against the vanity, arms folded, and regarded his teammate impassively. "No, I am trying to get you sober enough to see your _elske,_ who has yet to vake up because he knows you are not vit him."

Lance's anger ran away with the water streaming off him, and he fell in a sodden heap on the bathroom floor. "No. I-I can't. Please, Sven. . ."

Sven grabbed a towel and dropped to his knees, wrapping it around Lance's shaking shoulders. "He needs you badly, min bruder. And he is not Andrew."

"I know he isn't," Lance answered softly. He closed his eyes, mind going back twelve years to give him the picture of his first love, lying broken from a freak training accident. Andrew had lingered in a coma for a week before dying; it was a hurt Lance still carried in his deepest darkness. He took a deep breath and pushed the memories aside. "You're right, and I've been a real selfish bastard." He stood and stripped off his uniform, ducking back in for a HOT shower. Sven silently disposed of the bottles, then left, swaying with weariness.

Lance dressed quickly, bypassing his uniform for a worn Academy t-shirt and his oldest jeans, then quickly walked down to MedTech. Dr. Gorma met him at the door of Keith's room. "Commander, good to see you here."

"I never should have left; I _won't _leave again." Lance paused. "How is he?"

"Still unconscious; I pray that your presence will change that." The doctor stood back and let Lance come in.

Keith was breathing on his own, but otherwise was unchanged from when Lance had last seen him. The lanky pilot pulled a chair close to the bed, and took Keith's hand. "Keith, I'm here," he whispered. "I won't leave you again; please, please, just wake up."

Two more days went by, with Keith still unresponsive. Lance refused to budge from his side; the other members of the Force, along with Vince and Larmina, took it in turns to sit with him. Allura brought him meals that Sven bullied him into eating. Lance barely acknowledged any of it; all of his attention, all of his energy, was focused on Keith, willing him to wake up.

Late one night, a week after Keith had been shot, Lance was startled from an uneasy doze by the slight movement of Keith's hand in his. "Keith?" he whispered. "Come on, open your eyes. I know you're in there, damnit; wake up!"

Keith's eyes flickered, then opened as he groaned softly. "Lance? What-where?"

"You're in MedTech, Keith; remember, you were shot. You've been out for nearly a week." Lance smoothed Keith's hair back from his face.

Keith nodded. "Remember. Smuggler. . . going to kill. . . Daniel." He shifted in the bed, and his eyes widened in panic. "LANCE!" he gasped. "I. . . I can't feel my legs!"


	3. Chapter 3

Five minutes after Keith awoke, Gorma was in the room examining him. As Lance watched tensely, the doctor tested the extent of movement and sensation the captain had in his legs. Finally Gorma straightened with a sigh.

"Well, Doctor?" Keith asked softly.

"You have no movement below your hips, Captain, and no sensation below your knees." Gorma paused. "I'm afraid you'll never walk again."

Keith paled. "No. . . . please, you have to be wrong!" At Gorma's headshake, he turned away from the doctor and Lance, shaking with suppressed emotion. "Get out, both of you. I want to be alone."

Gorma hesitated, then quietly walked away. Lance obstinately sat unmoving. "I _said_ get out, Lance," Keith snapped.

"I heard you," Lance returned calmly. "Not going anywhere. Not now, not ever." He took a deep breath and quoted softly, "'Whatever comes at us down the road, we face together. My problems are your problems; your problems are mine.'"

"It's not the same," Keith whispered. "Not like you and Andrew."

"I know it isn't." Lance shifted to look Keith in the eye. "I also know that if I leave you alone, you will get depressed at the least, and at the worst. . . ." he pulled a jacket sleeve back to show the scars that crossed his own slender wrist. "I'm not going to let you face that by yourself; I love you too much."

Keith looked away from him. "You deserve someone whole, not a useless cripple."

"Stop that, right now." Lance sat on the bed and took Keith by the shoulders. "You are NOT a useless cripple, Keith! Heal and let's figure out what you _can_ do before you start harping on what you can't."

Tears shone in Keith's eyes as the famous Kogane control slipped. "I'll never walk again, Lance. Never. I can't ask you to be tied to that for the rest of your life."

"Then don't ask; I volunteer." Lance grinned, then went serious. "I won't leave you, Keith. I don't care that you'll never walk again; I don't care what else might happen. I love you."

Keith took Lance's hands. "I love you too. But. . ."

"But nothing. You aren't getting rid of me, Kogane, so quit trying."

The tears spilled over; Lance carefully gathered Keith to his shoulder and let him cry, tears falling down his own cheeks. Softly he said, "You didn't leave me at _my _worst; I'm not leaving you now." His mind drifted back to that awful time—had it really been twelve years ago?

_Lance had gotten out of class and headed to see Andrew at the hospital, as he had every day since the accident. He had found Andrew's bed empty; a doctor had brusquely informed him that Andrew had died that morning, and his parents had come to claim his body. Stunned, Lance had wandered back to his room in a daze. He had locked himself away for three days, ignoring Keith and Sven's attempts to draw him out. Late the night of the third day, the pain of Andrew's loss had become too much to bear, and he had slipped out of the room with his combat knife, intent on joining his lost love. _

_What he hadn't realized was that Keith and Sven had been watching for him to do just that, and Keith had followed him out of the dorm and down to the memorial park. He woke up in the infirmary, wrists bandaged, with a pale, red-eyed Keith watching over him._

Lance shook off the memory as Keith stirred in his arms. "We've been through tight spots before, koibito. We'll make it through this one, too. Together."

Keith looked up at him, face tear-stained. "Promise?"

"I swear."

Keith nodded, then looked at him closely. "You don't look so good. How long have you been here? Never mind; it's probably been too long. Lie down here with me and get some rest." He carefully shifted over, making room for Lance, then pulled the other man down to rest on his shoulder. Lance didn't argue; he fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit Keith's shoulder.

Daniel woke up, stiff from sleeping on the rec room couch, and grimaced. It wasn't fair that Vince had kicked him out of their room. He hadn't meant for Keith to get shot, after all; he just thought he could handle the smugglers himself. He touched the bruise on his jaw gingerly; Vince—and Lance's—opinion of him seemed to be shared by the entire castle. Vince refused to speak to him, Larmina changed directions when she saw him coming, and the older members of the Force were avoiding him completely. Classes had been cancelled, with Keith injured and Lance refusing to leave him; the rest of the Force was occupied with cleaning out the rest of the smugglers and fighting off Lotor. Slowly he sat up and made his way to the dining room, hoping to find it empty.

To his surprise, Commander Holgersson was sitting at the table, drinking coffee. "I vondered vhen you vould turn up," the older man said. "Get some breakfast and sit down, Daniel; I vant to talk to you."

Daniel obeyed, eyeing the former Blue Lion pilot warily. Commander Holgersson didn't talk a lot; and the other adults didn't talk a lot about him. Consequently, the man was an enigma, and Daniel couldn't imagine what he could want to talk about.

Sven watched the young man in front of him for several minutes. It had taken him a couple of days to realize what was going on with Daniel; when he did, he had words with his own teammates and with the cadets. Now it was Daniel's turn. He took another sip of coffee, then quietly said, "Did you know Lance vas de reason I had to leave de team?" Daniel looked up, startled, and Sven continued, "He vent off on his own to fight de old vitch, Haggar. I followed him, and found him caught in her magic. I freed him, sent him to varn de oders vhile I fought her off. I knew it most likely meant I vould die, but I chose to do it." Blue eyes locked with violet ones. "Just as Keit chose to take dat shot for you. He knew it would probably mean his life, but he chose to do it anyvay. To save yours."

Daniel scrubbed at his eyes. "I was stupid, wasn't I?"

"You acted vitout tinking; dat is not de same ting as stupid. It is de same ting Lance did." Sven put his cup down and leaned forward. "De point is, Keit sacrificed himself for you, as I did for Lance. It's up to you to make de sacrifice wortvhile. Do you fight on, as Lance did, or do you continue to sulk in de shadows?"

Daniel looked away, unable to bear the Norwegian's intense scrutiny. "It doesn't matter; the team blames me, and they don't want me around anymore. I guess I'll go back to Earth."

"I haf spoken to your teammates, and mine; dey realize dey vere too harsh vit you. Again, do you fight on, or give up, trow Keit's choice in his face?"

"I fight." Daniel lifted his head, a spark of his old determination in his eyes. "Thank you, Commander Holgersson. I needed that."

"You are velcome. Und my name is Sven." Sven smiled as the boy nodded and left the room. Maybe, just maybe, he had started his team on the road to mending.


	4. Chapter 4

Keith awoke suddenly, aware that someone was in his hospital room. His heart pounded as he realized a nurse wouldn't have woken him, and Gorma had forced Lance to go sleep in his own bed for the first time in nearly a month. "Who's there?" he said sharply, wishing devoutly for his voltcom, or even his old blaster.

"I-it's me, Daniel," came the soft reply.

Keith flicked on the bedside lamp to reveal the pajama-clad teen standing uncertainly just inside the door. "Daniel? What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"

"I had to see you, see if you were OK, and I didn't want to run into Lance." The cadet scuffed a toe against the floor, younger and more awkward than Keith had ever seen him.

"That's probably wise." Keith raised himself to a sitting position and motioned Daniel to the chair Lance had finally vacated.

"Yeah, he won't even look at me." Daniel slumped into the chair. "He's still pretty mad."

Keith raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think I'm not?"

The idea obviously hadn't occurred to Daniel. Keith watched, amused, as he opened and closed his mouth several times before blurting, "But you _chose_ to get shot!"

Keith looked at him. "And you made that choice necessary. Not that it _was_ a choice. I'm not in the habit of letting my teammates die."

Daniel flushed. "I thought we could take them! Prove to you guys that we're ready to be full members of the team!"

"And instead you compromised the team. Greatly." Keith sighed. "Daniel, I'm not angry with you, but I _am_ very unhappy. Running into a situation without thinking cost us Sven. You doing the same nearly cost the team me, or worse, you."

"I know. Sven told me the same thing." Daniel hung his head. "Keith, I. . . I'm really sorry. If you want me off the team, I understand. I know Lance wants me gone."

"I don't," Keith said firmly. "And I'll talk to Lance. But, Daniel. . .You have to work on the impulsiveness. You have the potential to be a great pilot, maybe even the leader of the Force one day. But you'll never get there if you keep acting on whims that endanger your life and the lives of your teammates."

"I'll work on it. I promise."

"Good. I'll hold you to that. Now, I'm tired, and you should go back to bed before Dr. Gorma catches you in here."

Daniel nodded and headed for the door. Once there, he turned back. "Keith? Thank you. For everything." He slipped out before Keith could say anything else; Keith turned off the light and soon drifted back to sleep.

He awoke to sunlight streaming into the room and Lance lounging in the bedside chair, feet propped on his bed. "Hear you had a talk with Daniel last night," his partner observed.

"I did; how did you know?"

Lance snorted. "Kid isn't as sneaky as he thinks; three guards and the night nurse saw him come in here, and reported it to me."

Keith shook his head. "Somehow that doesn't surprise me. He wanted to see if I was all right, and find out if I was mad at him. Since you are."

"Damned straight I am. Don't understand why you aren't." Lance folded his arms, scowling. "If I had my way, he'd be off the team for this stupid shit."

Keith glared at him. "Does that mean I should have taken _you_ off the team when Sven got hurt?"

"That was different!"

"Yeah, it was. You were 21 years old and fully trained. Daniel is a 15 year old cadet. So," Keith folded his own arms, "should I have taken YOU off the team? You had less excuse for acting without thinking than Daniel does."

Lance's jaw worked for a minute, then his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Damn. I hate when you're right, Kogane. I never thought of that. It is the same damned thing, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. Now, will you quit glaring at the poor kid and make nice? He's all but packed his bags to go back to Earth."

Lance sighed. "I suppose, especially since I was _just_ as stupid." He paused. "Keith? Why _aren't_ you angry with him? I know you made the choice to take the shot, but you wouldn't have had to if he hadn't gone off half-hell, quarter-cocked."

"Because he's young, Lance. Yeah, it was a stupid mistake, that's cost you and me BOTH a hell of a lot, but I'm not mad. . . "Keith paused. "That's not exactly true," he said softly.

"What?"

"I told Daniel I wasn't mad, but. . . I am. Not at him; it was a stupid mistake on his part, and I think he's learned from it. But I am angry. And I don't know at who, or what. I'm angry that I'll never walk again; I'm angry that I'll never again be the same person I was. Most of all. . . ." he looked at Lance sadly. "Most of all, I'm angry that I'll never be the partner you deserve again." He looked away, embarrassed by the tears that sprang to his eyes.

Lance's boots dropped from the bed; an instant later, Keith was wrapped in the warm leather-scented strength of his embrace. "Keith, if I had the partner I deserve, I'd spend the rest of my life alone. I love you, and only you. It doesn't matter to me if you never walk again, or if you couldn't move at all." Keith didn't answer; not that Lance had expected him to. Instead, Lance held him closer, rubbing his back soothingly. When he felt Keith calm down, he eased him back against his pillows and handed him a tissue.

"I want out of here so bad," Keith finally said. "It's been almost a month, and I'm tired of being laid up!" He started to say something else, but grimaced as his legs began to twitch and move of their own accord. Lance pulled the blankets back and rearranged Keith's legs to stop the spasm, then covered them again. "Thanks, koibito," Keith sighed. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that."

An aide came in with breakfast trays for both of them; Lance waited until she left, then said, "Give it time, Keith. And you know you're going to be here a while longer; your back is barely healed, and I'm sure Gorma's gonna want you in some kind of physical therapy for a while."

"Yeah, I know. I just. . . I want my life back. What I can salvage of it."

Lance took his hand. "That will take time, too. And . . . . this will sound weird coming from me, but. . . I think you need to talk to a therapist. I _know_ I do. And so does Daniel. Unless Dr. Gorma can recommend someone else, I'm going to call Dr. Jameson and ask her to come to Arus for a while."

"She did help you with Andrew," Keith said thoughtfully. "But, I don't know, Lance. I mean, I know I've got a lot to adjust to, but it's not like I lost someone."

"Isn't it?" Lance countered softly. "You just said yourself that you'll never be the same person again. Think about it, Keith. In a very real sense, Keith Kogane, the Keith Kogane that's existed for almost 30 years, died when that smuggler shot him." He looked away for a minute. "I'm so scared I'm going to lose you to this. I can't make you talk to Rita, but. . . I can ask, beg you as the man I love . . . please talk to her. She can help you more than you think."

Keith thought for a minute, then nodded. "You're right. Call and see if she can come, and how soon." He squeezed Lance's hand. " I'm not going to leave you. I promise you that. You're stuck with me."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Lance winked, and turned his attention to his breakfast, watching to make sure Keith ate his own.


	5. Chapter 5

After breakfast, with some gentle prodding from Keith, Lance set out to find Daniel. Much as he hated to admit it, Keith was right. Daniel's mistake was no different than his own. And Lance had no right to hold a grudge when Keith himself wasn't.

He found the cadets in the classroom, with Sven, of all people, teaching Keith's usual navigation class. Lance smiled softly as he listened to Sven explain the differences between plotting courses in the Lions, and plotting them in standard Alliance ships. Keith was good at navigation, but Sven was and had always been the undisputed master of the subject. He was clearly enjoying teaching; Lance made a note to see if it would be possible to have him come teach more often.

When the lesson ended, Lance stepped into the room before the cadets could scatter. "Daniel, I want to talk to you." The other cadets looked at Daniel sympathetically before slipping out; Daniel himself stood frozen, staring at Lance with a fear that hurt more than any physical blow the Red Lion pilot had ever taken.

Sven stepped between them, worry darkening his blue eyes. "Lance, I don't tink dis is a gut idea. . . "

"It's all right, Sven," Lance interrupted quietly, all his attention on Daniel. "I'm not going to hurt him, and Keith knocked sense into me this morning. I'm not mad anymore; I just want to talk."

Some of the fear went out of Daniel's eyes, and he nodded slowly; Sven relaxed. "All right; I vill see you at lunch den." The Norwegian walked out of the room, leaving Lance facing Daniel.

"You really aren't mad anymore?" the cadet asked hopefully.

Lance shook his head. "Make no mistake; I'm not happy with you, Daniel. You're gonna be on my shit list for a while, and you're starting from zero earning my trust. It's going to be a very long time before you see the inside of a lion again. But, as Keith told me this morning, I can't be angry with you for the exact same stunt I pulled. You at least have the excuse of being a 15 year old cadet; I was 21 and fully trained." He smiled wryly. "So, Dan-man, learn your lesson?"

Daniel looked at the floor. "I'm part of a team; I need to slow down and think things through, because I'm not the only one that'll feel the consequences." Violet eyes met green ones. "I know it doesn't fix it, but. . . .Lance, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I cost you and Keith so much."

Lance didn't know how to answer that; he settled for dismissing Daniel. "Go on, get out of here; you're missing sim time. If Pidge says anything, tell him I held you up. And Daniel? Thanks." The cadet ran out without another word; Lance grinned and followed at a more sedate pace, heading for Allura's office.

The princess looked up and smiled as he slipped in. "Hey, Lance, how's Keith this morning?"

"Pitching a bitch to get out of bed. Pretty much back to normal, in other words."Lance sprawled across a chair. "Princess, I need your permission for something."

"As long as Larmina hasn't talked you into one of her ideas, you probably have it."

Lance sat up straight and met Allura's eyes. "Keith getting hurt is a big change for all of us, means a lot of adjustment. I think it would help to have a therapist here to talk us through it."

"A therapist?" At Lance's nod, Allura shook her head. "We don't have those on Arus."

"I know; I talked to Gorma this morning. I have it in mind to bring a therapist from Earth, the one who helped me when . . . when Andrew died."

"If you trust this person, then that's good enough for me, Lance." Allura put her hand on top of his. "Tell me, how are _you_ doing? Everyone's so worried about Keith; are _you_ all right?"

Lance tensed, tempted to retreat behind his usual front of cocky smartass. Had it been anyone else asking, he would have. But. . . this was Allura, and he promised long ago never to lie to her. "Honestly? No, I'm not all right. Keith and I are going to be paying the rest of our lives for Daniel's impulsiveness. And—" he swallowed hard, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I nearly lost him to this, Allura. I—I'm fucking terrified that when he starts figuring out his limitations, he won't want to live that way, and I WILL lose him." The tears he'd choked back for a month broke to the surface; he couldn't fight them back anymore.

Allura came around the desk and took him in her arms. As he wept into her shoulder, she gave mental thanks for quiet, perceptive, Sven, and their conversation that morning. . . .

He had stopped her as she got up from the breakfast table. "Princess, may I speak with you?"

"Of course, Sven." She sat back down and waited; Sven sat silently until the cadets followed Hunk and Pidge out of the room.

"Lance is about to break," he said softly."Dere is so much pressure on him now, to be de Commander of de Force, to be strong for Keit. . . .he is not handling it vell, and I tink it vill destroy him if he does not talk to somevon about it."

Allura tilted her head. "You're his oldest friend, next to Keith; can't he talk to you?"

"He can, but he von't." Sven looked at her wryly. "Lance is all about being a tough guy vit de rest of us. Keit is de only von who can get him to let go of dat. . . Keit, and from vhat I have seen, you." The Norwegian put an uncharacteristic hand on top of hers. "I tink he vill come to you; get him to talk to you, Princess, please."

"I will, I promise."

And so here she was, holding the self-proclaimed bad boy of the team as he cried himself hoarse. She said nothing, just rubbed his back and rocked him soothingly. When the sobs began to slow, she released him and sat back, offering her handkerchief.

Lance took it, wiping his face as he regained control of himself. "Th-thank you, Allura," he said, voice still thick with tears. "I needed that."

"I know you did. And you're welcome." She took the handkerchief back when he finished, then held a hand out to him. "Come on, I want to show you something."

Puzzled, Lance let her pull him to his feet and lead him out of her office and to the residential wing. The puzzlement deepened as she stopped in front of what he knew had been her parents' suite. "Allura? What are we doing here?"

"Giving you a present. I wanted to wait until Keith could be here, but I think you need this now." She opened the doors to reveal the rest of the Force, grinning like fiends.

Pidge stepped forward. "It occurred to us that your current room is simply not wheelchair-accessible. So, Hunk and I went to Allura, and we started looking at rooms. It didn't take long to realize that only the royal suites are large enough to be suitable."

Lance's jaw was on the floor. "Allura, I—we—these are your parents' rooms! Keith and I can't take them!"

"They _were_ my parents' rooms," Allura corrected gently. "And you most certainly can take them; I insist that you take them, and that Hunk and Pidge take the Queen Mother's suite across the hall. You boys are heroes on Arus, and you've made it your home; this is the very least I can do."

Lance told himself he'd already used his quota of tears for the year, and swallowed hard. "Thank you, Princess. This means a lot." He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Yeah, thanks, Princess." Pidge grinned. He turned and looked at the cadets. "All right, you three are due in the sims. Yesterday was beyond dire. Move it!" The teens scampered out, followed by Hunk and Pidge.

Sven watched them for a minute, then stretched with a grimace. "De veather is changing; I tink I vill lie down for a vhile. See you at dinner." He left slowly, trying not to show the pain he was in.

Lance wasn't fooled. "Sooner we get Keith back in the saddle, the better," he said softly. "Sven can't keep this up forever."

Allura nodded. "Go call your therapist, Lance. And see how soon Gorma is willing to start Keith's rehabilitation."

Lance made his way to Castle Control, quickly calling up the private COM code of Rita Jameson, the therapist he'd worked with after his suicide attempt.

"Lance! So good to see you," the older woman said warmly when the connection was made. "What can I do for you?"

"Take a trip, I hope, Rita." Lance quickly outlined what had happened to Keith, ending with, "It's going to be a lot of adjustment, for him, me, and the rest of the team. Please, will you come help us? We need you."

Rita considered. "I don't practice anymore, Lance. You know that."

"I do. But I also know I trust you like no one else. More to the point, _Keith_ trusts you. Rita, I wouldn't ask if it weren't critical."

"I know." Rita made up her mind. "I'll be there in a week, Lance."

"Thanks Rita. See you then." Lance cut the connection and sat on the console, trying to pull himself back together before returning to MedTech. Finally, he got up, straightened his jacket, and headed out the door.

As Lance ended his transmission, another man cut his connection to that same conversation, chuckling with dark satisfaction. "Well, well. The great Commander Keith has fallen." Sky Marshal Wade leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. "Sounds like a good time to go reclaim my property."


	6. Chapter 6

Keith had had enough. He knew his back was as healed as it was going to get, and lying in bed all day was about to drive him insane. More importantly, he could see the increasing pain in Sven's movements, and the shadows in Lance's face as worry and the stress of command weighed on him. With all that in mind, he summoned Dr. Gorma to his bedside while Lance was on duty. "Tell me what I have to do to get out of here," he demanded flatly.

Gorma looked at him calmly. "Your back is barely healed, Captain. I recommend a couple more weeks rest before you begin rehabilitation."

"Lance and Sven don't have a couple of weeks," Keith cut him off. "I need to start working on getting back on the team, before they both collapse."

Gorma considered the young captain for a moment. "Very well," he finally said. "You are more in tune with your body than any patient I've ever had. If you are confident that you are healed enough for therapy, then I will allow it. As it happens, Carly, our physical therapist, is free right now. I'll send her to assess you." He paused on his way out. "Try not to eat her alive, Captain; I know how you are with medical personnel."

Keith snorted and sat back to wait. A few minutes later, the therapist bounced into the room with a wheelchair, blonde braid swinging. "Hello, Captain Kogane, I'm Carly," she chirped, and Keith groaned inwardly. He _hated_ overly cheerful medical personnel. "Oh, good, you're already sitting up on your own; that saves a lot of time," she continued happily. "Now, I'm going to put you in the chair, and we'll go to the gym and see how your core and upper body strength are."

Keith eyed her skeptically; she was hardly Pidge's size, and her manner was already getting on his nerves. Abruptly he pulled the wheelchair closer, then grabbed the bar over his bed and swung himself into the chair. "I prefer to do for myself," he said tersely. "You said something about the gym?" He touched the chair's controls and set off down the hallway without looking to see if she was following.

Carly stood in the hall gaping after the captain, until she heard a low chuckle behind her. "Either Gorma didn't warn you, or you didn't listen," a masculine voice drawled. She turned to find a tall, red-haired man in a leather jacket leaning against the wall behind her. "Commander Lance McClain," he continued, offering a hand for her to shake. "Acting commander of the Voltron Force, and life partner of your patient down there."

Carly shook his hand automatically. "I'm Carly Westenfield, Captain Kogane's physical therapist. What was Dr. Gorma supposed to warn me about?"

"The fact that Keith will be both your best and worst patient." Lance pushed off the wall and started after Keith. "We'd better catch up to him; he's notorious for overdoing when he's recovering."

Carly ran a few steps to catch up to Lance's longer legs. "What do you mean?"

"Keith is very demanding, and demands the most of himself. Whatever goals you set for him, he's gonna meet them and blow them completely away. Even if it hurts him."

"Commander, I hope he isn't expecting a miracle. I can't make him walk again."

Lance shook his head. "First, I'm just Lance. Second, he knows he won't walk again; he's just impatient to get on with what he _can_ do." He stopped and turned to look at her. "Word of advice; I heard how you were talking to him just now. Keith hates being patronized; he's very professional. And he has NO control over his temper when he's hurting. You might want to modify how you talk to him."

Carly hesitated, then nodded. "I guess I did lay it on a bit thick; my last job was in a pediatrics hospital."

Lance burst out laughing. "That's perfect for this crew. I'd better not keep you any longer; Keith will start without you. Nice meeting you, Carly." He turned and headed towards his office.

Carly watched him for a minute, then turned and went into the gym. "Captain Kogane! What are you doing?"

Keith didn't look up from the bicep curl he was doing. "Exercising. Trying to get back in shape before my partner and my team collapse. Are you going to help me, or just stand there with your mouth hanging open?"

"Captain, it's much too soon for you to be exerting yourself like this!" Carly tried to take the weight from his hand, without success. Her eyes widened; clearly six weeks in bed had not greatly affected the captain's strength.

"I'm fine. My legs don't work, but there's nothing wrong with the rest of me." Keith finished the set and put the dumbbell down, then looked at the therapist. "Now. Are you going to help me deal with being in this thing," he gestured towards the wheelchair, "or are you going to wring your hands and go on about how I 'shouldn't be exerting myself like this'?"

Carly finally understood Commander McClain's comment about "best and worst patient". Belatedly, she remembered reading in the Captain's records that, although he tended to overexert himself, he knew the strengths and weaknesses of his body better than anyone Dr. Gorma had ever tended. "Humor me; I have some exercises for you to run through. _You_ know how strong you are; _I_ don't, and I need to, to know how best to help you. So, if you'll show me that, then we can start teaching you what you need to know to live in that chair."

Keith nodded. "I can work with that. What do you have first?"

Three hours later, Keith was back in bed, tired but mostly satisfied. Carly had deemed his upper body strength satisfactory, though it was less than he himself was happy with. She had shown him how to transfer himself from bed to chair and back with minimal effort, and, much to his embarrassment, how to dress his immobile legs. Getting out of MedTech and back to flying was starting to look closer and closer. _Out of MedTech first, Kogane, _he told himself. _You're a long way from the cockpit yet._

"Well, I haven't seen Carly run screaming from the castle, and nothing seems to be broken in here," Lance observed, walking in and taking his usual chair. "I take it therapy went well?"

"It did." Keith reached over and held Lance's hand. "I'm stronger than she thought, and she says I should be able to be released in another week. She has to teach YOU how to take care of me, while she's teaching me the same thing."

"Good." Lance grinned. "We have a new place to go back to." He quickly told Keith what Allura had done. "Probably should get Carly to look it over, make sure it'll work for you."

Keith blinked. "A royal suite? For us? Lance, we can't possibly—"

"Allura wouldn't take any argument, and she did the same for Hunk and Pidge," Lance told him. "Besides. . . they're the only rooms in the castle with a hope of being wheelchair accessible."

"Since you put it that way. . ." Keith broke off as he felt the first twitches of a spasm, and rearranged his legs to stop it.

"And as she said; we saved the planet, it's the least she can do." Lance grinned. "Came in here with a surprise for you."

"Oh? What might that be?"

"Dinner. In the dining room with the rest of us." Keith's jaw dropped; Lance chuckled. "Carly was very happy with your progress today, and Gorma agreed that a visit with the rest of the team might be good for you. So, show me how you get in that chair, and let's go see about dinner."

Keith was uncertain. He wanted to see the team, but to go through the castle, with so many people seeing him in the chair. . . he wasn't sure he was ready for the pitying looks he would get from the staff.

Lance saw the hesitation and guessed its source. "Small dining room, Force only," he said quietly. "No cadets even, and Allura went all Royal Highness and cleared the corridor between here and there. It's all right, Keith. The team wants to see you, and you _know_ Sven won't come down here."

The reminder of his friend's fear of hospitals decided Keith. He slid into the chair, arranged his legs, and headed for the door, Lance at his side. As Lance had promised, the corridor was empty, and they quickly arrived at the small dining room the Force had made their own. Lance grinned at Keith and opened the door. "Please welcome the man, the legend . . . your friend and mine, Keith Kogane!

Keith glared at Lance, torn between laughter and anger, and wheeled into the room. "Man, is it ever good to see you out of that hospital room, Chief!" Hunk's paw descended on to his shoulder with surprising gentleness. "Hospital gown totally not a good look for you."

Keith laughed, then was engulfed in Allura's sweet-smelling embrace. "We've missed you," she said softly; Pidge nodded in agreement, hand on Keith's arm as if reassuring himself that Keith was real.

"Thanks, guys," Keith answered. "You don't know how good it feels to be out, even for a little while." He wheeled to the table, looking around for Sven.

The dark Norwegian was leaning against the wall, arms folded in his usual pose. "It IS good to see you, min bruder," he said quietly, pushing away from the wall and taking a seat next to Keith. "I vanted to come see you, so many times. . . I couldn't get past de door of MedTech. De smell of de antiseptic. . ." His voice trailed away, blue eyes haunted.

"It's all right, Sven; I understand." Keith put a hand on his oldest friend's shoulder. "I know you were thinking about me." He turned his attention to the table. "Now, what's for dinner? I've been starving on hospital food!"

The team laughed, and Hunk went into a description of the meal he had prepared for them. As they began eating, joking and bantering with each other as they always did, Keith relaxed. Finally, his old life was starting to come close enough to grasp once more.


	7. Chapter 7

Lance stood in the middle of his and Keith's new suite, looking around with satisfaction. Everything Carly had recommended was in place, from accessible keypads and fixtures to the new bed with the memory foam mattress designed to combat the pressure sores Keith would be prone to for the rest of his life. The one time Lance had worried aloud about the expense, Pidge had just grinned and told him to shut up; that Stereolactic was having a _very_ good year and that everything was taken care of. And so it had been; everything was top of the line, and Lance hadn't seen the first bill.

Shaking off his woolgathering, Lance set off for MedTech. Gorma and Carly had pronounced Keith ready to be discharged, though he would be continuing his physical therapy, and Lance didn't want to keep him waiting.

Keith settled himself in his chair, glaring at his useless legs. He had grudgingly accepted that he would never walk again, but that didn't mean he had to like it. But, he had to admit, his actual limitations were minimal. Pidge and Hunk had made extensive modifications to Black's chute instead of riding a T bar to the cockpit module, the command chair rose up the chute at the touch of a voltcom button. In addition, Pidge had taken one look at the chair Keith was expected to use, pronounced it woefully inefficient, and went to work. The controls for Keith's new, permanent chair were hardwired into his brain; he controlled it by thinking where he wanted to go. Carly had shown him seated Tai Chi; Lance and Sven were helping him adapt his more combative martial arts. Most of what he had lost, he could regain. Still, knowing he would never walk or even stand again was a bitter pill to swallow, and he regretted that illness had prevented Lance's therapist from coming to Arus; meditation only helped so much, and he couldn't bring himself to add to the weight already on his teammates' shoulders.

"You look like a man ready to escape." Lance was lounging against the doorframe, hands jammed into his jacket pockets.

"You have NO idea." Keith turned his chair deftly; Lance walked alongside him as he wheeled out of the medical wing for the first time in six weeks. "Gods, it's going to feel good to sleep in our own bed again!"

Lance nodded. "I've missed you," he said quietly, then laughed. "How the hell I managed five years away from you, I have no fucking clue. Six weeks separation and I'm a raging insomniac!"

There was strain under the light words, and Keith snuck a look at his partner. Lance's fair Irish skin was painted in shadows, and the amused light was gone from his green eyes. "Almost too late," Keith thought to himself, and repressed a shiver.

They arrived at their new rooms, and Keith noted the keypad was perfectly placed for his new lower reach. "Same code as before," Lance said softly, and Keith typed it in.

The door opened to reveal a room decorated in every shade of blue, from the near-white of a summer horizon to the deep navy of the boys' dress uniforms, all of it Allura's gift. Keith slowly wheeled into the room, taking in the wheelchair height bed and desk, the large roll-in shower, and a million other details tailored for his needs and both of their tastes. His katana was displayed on the wall beneath his and Lance's crossed Academy sabers, and their medals were in shadowboxes on either side of the sabers. "It's perfect," he whispered, and turned to Lance. "How did you-?"

"We have generous friends, koibito," Lance answered with a smile. "Pidge paid for the remodel work; Allura did the decorating. Just one more thing." He opened a drawer and took out something, then turned and knelt beside Keith, snapping his partner's voltcom back into place. "Welcome home, Keith. I love you."

****

Marshal Wade had decided to capture Black Lion and the outlaw Commander Keith himself, to be certain of success. The preparations were finally complete, and his handpicked team landed on Arus late one night. His sleeper agent inside the Castle—and that was another outrage, that Kogane lived in the Castle that should have been _his_—had deactivated the Castle's security fields, and the team slipped into the Castle with impunity. They thought.

What Wade—and his sleeper—didn't know was that Pidge Stoker was very paranoid about his systems. Any deactivation without the proper codes sent an alert directly to his voltcom. And only the members of the Force had those codes. Pidge knew something was wrong five minutes after Wade entered the Castle, and quietly alerted his teammates. Sven slipped out of Romelle's arms and down the corridors like the dark ghost he'd been named on Doom, making his way to the intrusion. Hunk followed Sven; Pidge made for the control room, grimly determined to find out who had sabotaged his systems and _hurt_ them.

In Keith and Lance's room, Lance was out of bed and dressed at the first whisper over the voltcom. In the interest of speed, he helped Keith dress and put him in his chair, then they both grabbed their voltcoms and headed out. As they moved down the hallway, they both called up their weapons, Keith grateful to Pidge all over again for the chair that left his hands free.

When Pidge got to the control room, the saboteur was still there, watching the monitors, relaying information on the team's movements. Furious, Pidge didn't even bother with his smart stars; he launched a flying kick at the man's head that knocked him cold, then quickly located the intruders, shocked to recognize Wade at their head. He sent that bit of intel to his teammates, then, snarling to himself in Baltan, he quickly secured the corridors around Wade's group, leaving them only one direction to go: right into the arms of his teammates.

As soon as he got Pidge's message, Keith had sent Hunk and Sven around behind the intruders to reduce their numbers and cut off their escape. He then decreed, over Lance's protests, that he would face Wade alone at first. "He has to be here because he knows about . . . my condition," Keith argued. "He won't expect me to still be able to fight; I can catch him off guard!"

Lance swore. "You haven't been in combat since you were shot, Keith! Toe to toe with Wade is NOT the time to test things!"

"I have to do it some time." Keith was adamant. "And you're going to be here, just out of sight, to watch my back."

"Damned straight I will." Lance blew out a sigh. "Be careful, all right?" He kissed Keith quickly, then slipped around a corner just as Wade arrived.

Hunk and Sven had been ruthless; Wade was accompanied by a single soldier. The Sky Marshal's eyes narrowed in satisfaction as he saw Keith sitting in his wheelchair, shock sword across his lap. "So, my intelligence was correct," he gloated. "The great Commander Keith is a helpless cripple."

Keith raised an eyebrow. "I might not can walk, Wade, but I'm FAR from helpless." He pointed the shock sword at the two of them, sending energy blasts into their weapons and destroying them. While they were still gaping at the smoking remains, he called up his other sword and drove them both into the floor, pushing himself to a standing position. Lance gasped behind him; he ignored his partner and swung his dead legs with all his strength, sweeping first Wade, then his goon, to the floor. Hunk and Sven quickly rushed in to secure them. Keith watched and felt his arms tremble, protesting the strain. As they buckled, he felt himself swept into Lance's strong, leather-scented embrace and heard his partner swearing at him for being an idiot. Keith couldn't help a grin. It didn't matter. He really, truly, wasn't crippled, and had just proven it. With prejudice.


	8. Chapter 8

Keith wheeled out of the conference room following his weekly video session with Dr. Jameson. The therapist had been a godsend, even though she had been unable to come to Arus, helping him accept that he would never walk unassisted again. She had also helped him come to terms with the hardest decision he'd ever made, stepping down from Black and giving command to Lance. He in turn flew Red, and continued to deal with the paperwork. Much as he loved Black, Red was far less physically demanding. The simple fact was he no longer had the stamina to control the powerful Black Lion, or Voltron.

Wade was in prison on a colony far from Earth, awaiting his trial. Keith still grinned when he remembered how the Sky Marshal had sputtered when Lance and Sven took him away, saying, "B-but _he's a cripple!_ He can't defeat me!" Lance had just laughed and shoved the old man into the Alliance shuttle, not being too careful of him. The trial was to begin in a month; Keith, Pidge, and Lance were scheduled to testify remotely, but Keith and Lance were discussing going to Earth and appearing in person. It would make a good vacation for them.

Keith smiled as he headed down the hall to his next appointment. After reading him the riot act in terms that impressed even Lance, Gorma had grudgingly conceded that standing with assistance would not be so bad for him, and had directed Carly to work with him an hour a day on standing, and had prescribed braces and crutches to assist him. Six months into therapy, he could stand with the braces as long as he needed to, using the crutches, or, preferably, his shock swords for support. Walking or even dragging his dead legs was not and never would be an option, though, and he forced himself to be content with what he COULD do.

To his surprise, Carly was nowhere to be seen in the gym. Lance sat on the weight bench, clearly waiting for him, green eyes solemn. "Where's Carly?" Keith asked, looking around. "Don't tell me YOU'RE in charge of therapy today?"

The Commander of the Voltron Force shook his head. "Therapy's cancelled for today; so are the rest of MY appointments. You and I are spending the rest of the day together." He paused. "Today is one year, Keith."

Keith froze, feeling the laser blast tear into his back all over again. He had forgotten . . . and the memory was not returning easily. Lance knelt in front of him, holding his hands and looking into his eyes. "It's all right, koibito. I'm here. Let's go back to the room, relax the rest of the day." Keith could only nod, and Lance quickly got to his feet and pushed him back to their suite.

Just inside the door, Keith stopped the chair, looking around in amazement. Candles burned on their nightstands, the bed was turned down, and quiet music played, a guitar piece they both loved. He turned to Lance. "What's all this for, koibito?"

Lance went to one knee in front of the chair. "Keith Akira Kogane. One year ago today, I almost lost you. I never want to lose you again. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you be my husband?"

Keith's eyes filled with tears. "Yes. Yes, gladly!" He leaned forward and kissed Lance, holding him close. Lance returned the kiss with interest, deepening it and tangling his hand in Keith's long black hair. They were both panting and achingly hard when they finally broke apart.

"God, I want you so bad," Lance whispered, stroking Keith's thigh around the brace. "Let's get you loose and have some fun." Making love spontaneously had been one of the many casualties of Keith's injury, but Lance had discovered a knack for turning the tedious task of getting Keith ready for bed into foreplay. By the time Keith was out of the chair and braces and lay naked on the bed, they were both ready to explode. Lance wasted no time preparing Keith, and quickly entered him, both of them groaning in pleasure. "We. . .don't do. . this enough," Lance grunted, fighting for control.

"Less talking, more. . .fucking," Keith gasped. He grabbed Lance's shoulders and arched against him, pulling his partner deeper, his cock rubbing against Lance's belly as the other man moved inside him. Lance's only response was to move faster, giving up the struggle to stay in control as he threw his head back and howled out his orgasm. Keith followed seconds later, and they collapsed together in an embrace. After a few minutes, Lance got up and went to the bathroom, coming back with a damp cloth and proceeding to gently wash Keith off.

Once finished, he slid back into bed and took Keith in his arms, cradling the smaller man against his chest. "Love you, koibito," he said drowsily.

"I love you too, Lance," Keith whispered, reaching up to stroke Lance's stubbled jaw. "Sleep now; we can talk in a while." Lance pulled the blankets up, murmuring indistinctly, and was asleep in minutes. Keith lay awake, listening to Lance's even breathing. So much had changed in just one short year, and yet it seemed a lifetime ago that he stood and walked. Had he been asked a year earlier, he would have said he never wanted to live his life as a cripple in a chair. Yet, as he looked down at his. . . _fiancé_. . . he realized that he hadn't lost anything at all that mattered. He still flew, still fought, still had his family and his love at his side. "No regrets," he whispered, and snuggled deeper into Lance's arms, finally falling asleep in their strong embrace. The darkest hour was past; now came the dawn.


End file.
